


After the Game

by Hjppj2240



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marauder Era - Fandom
Genre: Gryffindor, M/M, Quidditch, Slytherin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 11:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29749782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hjppj2240/pseuds/Hjppj2240
Summary: After Gryffindor lost to Slytherin, James Potter is finding the shower to be a very dangerous place. With the sadness of the War looming over him, Lily Evans always rejecting him, and his two best friends occasionally leaving him out, James feels more lonely than ever. Can an unexpected friend change all of this?(Remember in PoA Oliver Wood is “drowning” himself in the showers after losing to Hufflepuff? Well basically turn this into James.)DISCLAIMER: Drowning is a serious problem and should not be found funny.Very fluffy and lighthearted.
Relationships: James/Reggie, Jegulus - Relationship, Potter/Black, Regulus Black/James Potter, regulus/james
Comments: 5
Kudos: 69





	After the Game

“McKinnon! Get your arse moving!” James yelled across the field. Gryffindor was down 40 points and the snitch was still unspotted; the game was not yet over. 

“You’re one to talk, maybe you can unglue your eyes from Evans and keep up-“ but Marlene never finished her sentence that day. An unchecked bludger clocked her in the head. 

“Marls!” James dived for her as she attempted to stay on the broom, slowly moving downwards. When she was back on the ground, he called timeout to gather the team. Hooch gave a thumbs-up and put up seven fingers for seven minutes. 

“I am so sorry, Potter. I don’t know where that bludger came from,” one of the Beaters for Gryffindor slurred in his haste to make up for the unconscious body of Marlene McKinnon being carried off the field by Madame Pomfrey.

James stared down the player until the words died off his lips. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. After the game, you can march up to the Infirmary and be Marlene’s personal helper until she’s back to one hundred percent.” The younger boy nodded and backed up until the other players were in front of him. “Now,” James started again, “we have to play harder. Marlene scored us over half of the points we currently have and we need to continue-“ but his words were cut off as a wolf-whistle was heard from thirty yards away.

Everyone on the red and gold team turned and immediately narrowed their eyes at the green and silver team smiling cheekily.

“Looks like itty-bitty ‘Marls’ is out for the rest of the game. It’ll for sure be a shame for Gryffindor to lose,” the Slytherin Head Captain pretended to fall onto the grass in imitation of Marlene. Everyone on the team exploded into laughter except for one man, Regulus Black. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and twirled his wand in his hand. 

The youngest Black member was a sensitive nerve for James Potter. His best friend, Sirius Black made sure of that. The Black brothers were a complex network of cables that will shock you if you aren’t wary of your surroundings. When Regulus made the Slytherin Quidditch team the year prior, James had to keep the shock off his face. It was just ‘perfect’ that he now had to be wary in the pitch as well as in the hallways and Great Hall. The Marauders are Slytherin-hating and they could make no exceptions to even younger brothers...well. 

“Oi, Pigface! Did any of us bloody ask for your opinion? Now, shut it and rethink your plays so you have a little standing chance of winning the game!” This came from the high-spirited other Chaser who was new this year. James payed her little attention while still looking at Regulus. 

Hooch blowed her whistle to signal the rest of the game, but James’ head was uncleared. “Why didn’t Regulus laugh with them?” He kept thinking over and over again, even as he scored three more goals in matching minutes. Regulus Black’s face kept swimming up in front of him with no end in mind. 

—

After another hour of many fouls, small injuries, and taunts, the game was showing signs of wear. Regulus and Gryffindor’s Seeker both had nearly caught the snitch and the game points were now up to 370-510, Gryffindor. If Slytherin caught the Snitch, they would still win. 

James kept flying loops around the pitch, scoring goals and attempting to uplift team morale. “Come on, guys and girls! Just keep going like this and we WILL win!” 

But it all went down when a golden fleck caught Regulus’ eye, and he flung himself after it. James noticed this too and pointed frantically at the Snitch and shouted hoarsely to his own teammate. “It’s there! It is right there! Come on! You can get it before him! Go go go!” 

The game slowed down as Black’s fingers caught around the flapping wings of the Snitch and James couldn’t help but slam his hands down on his broomstick handle and tear down to the ground in a haze of fury and shame at being beaten. 

As his teammates slowly landed onto the ground with deafening cheers coming from all around, Potter stalked off to the locker room to break away from the tension of a loss. 

In the locker room, he slowly packed up his broom, jersey, gloves, and shoes and exchanged his bag for his comfortable sweater and pants. James walked miserably down to the last shower in the hall and sat down on the bench within. He zoned out his mind as his fellow Gryffindors came in and cleaned themselves up. James kept on reliving the last seconds of the game and thinking how if he was a little quicker he could have pointed it out faster. As he was thinking of how he could be more beneficial, he also recounted how Dumbledore asked of the Marauders to help the Order of the Phoenix to help after they graduated in a few months. How we could be more helpful to his struggling friends. How he could have not pestered Lily as much. 

He just couldn’t help it. James closed his eyes in misery and rethought every important and non important decision he’s made in the past few years and how if he was just a little smarter could have changed the fates and made the outcome better. That’s who he is supposed to be. He’s supposed to be the thinker, the rational one. The Marauder who cares and protects. All of it comes down to mush and even Regulus flashes in his head. Maybe Sirius and Regulus could’ve been better brothers if James encouraged Padfoot to be more outgoing and loving towards Reggie. They were, after all, just teenagers who needed guidance and reassurance in the most loving ways. And who is better at that than James Potter himself?

James started tapping his foot anxiously as his head continued spinning and sputtering so he didn’t even realize the low calling of his name. The slight shuffle of fabric and the low ruffle of wind that came as the door to the Pitch was opened. James only looked up in fright when Regulus was three feet away in his own sweater. 

Reggie choked on his words a little when he saw James sitting on the moist bench in only an under shirt and boxers. “I-I am so sorry. Just did not see you come out and wanted to make sure you were alright. I will be going now-“

“Wait. Just g-give me a minute,” James rushed out in barely above a whisper. He turned around just in time to see Regulus’ shoe to turn into the main part of the locker room. 

With the distinct knowledge of his best friend’s brother in a sweaty, messy, and scarlet room only 10 yards away did not help James’ thoughts keep straight as he swept into the shower and out in less than a minute and pulled a pick through his hair, while simultaneously dressing himself haphazardly. He stumbled a little while walking down the short hallway and meeting Regulus’ eyes. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make anyone worry. How long was I in there?” 

Regulus check his pristine watch-face on his right, delicate wrist. “The game ended forty five minutes ago.” 

“Shit.” He stumbled outside into the fresh afternoon air and glanced behind himself to make sure the slightly shorted boy was behind him. “Alright, uh, thank you for grabbing me. I didn’t even realize I was there that long.” Reggie nodded in acknowledgement and turned his face slowly down in slight shame. 

“Of course no problem.” He reached up his hand to his neck. “Sorry about the game-“

“Psh, it was fair. Congratulations to you, though! Probably have a huge party in your Common Room waiting- I should probably be off though.” James finished in a huff. 

“Yes, you probably should.” Regulus’ face looked so torn and James felt the need to protect this one more person with such strong emotion; he lurched forward and kissed the boy on the lips. Both of the boys’ yes we’re open in shock and were a blushing mess, they both tore apart in complete horror. 

“What the fuck-“ but James never finished his sentence that day because Regulus leaned forward and kissed James Potter back. 

After a moment, both boys backed up with slightly goofy faces. 

“Yes, ‘what the fuck’ is a perfect description of what we are doing,” Regulus Black said with a grin.


End file.
